September 2026 Newsletter
Emma Major's September Newsletter
Thanks for inviting me into your email inbox. Whether you've been here a while or you're a new subscriber, welcome. I know that many of you signed up at the Wokingham Arts Trail last weekend after I promised that this would be just as chatty as I am in person, but only once a month. So here goes…
Wokingham Arts Trail
One of the best things about art trails, markets and open studios is the opportunity to have creative conversations with wonderful people who I wouldn't normally meet. Conversations ranged from creating and connecting, to art and how it's created, to how sight loss requires me to constantly revisit what's possible. And I'm pleased to say that I sent a good number of paintings to their new homes, as well as limited edition prints, cards and some of my new watercolours. Literally hundreds of people, and a few dogs, came through the door creating a real buzz. The only down side was that as one of the artists I didn't get to visit any of the other venues, if only I could teleport!
"My Journey of Discovery through ICU" Exhibition
Lots of visitors were really taken by my painting "Invisible Hands"; part of my exhibition "Journey of Discovery through ICU".
If you weren't at the trail, or would like to see the whole series, then I have good news for you; the exhibition will be hung in full at the Art Space in St Nicolas on Sutcliffe Avenue in Earley through October.
The church, centre and art space are open week days and Saturdays 10am - 4pm and Sunday mornings of course.
I will be hosting a “meet the artist” event on Saturday 3rd October at 2pm.
I know it's late notice but if you are free I'd love to see you there.
Not only will you be able to see my ICU exhibition, but I'll also read some of the poetry I wrote which accompanies the paintings.
Where else can you find me and my creativity?
If you would like to chat art, creativity, poetry, faith, disability or see even more of my art then there are lots of opportunities coming up….
Rotary Charity Art & Craft Fair
At Leighton Park School on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October. 10.00 –16.00hrs
Reading Guild of Artists Small Works Exhibition
At St Luke's Hall on Erleigh Road on 30th October 2026 - 1st November 2026
St Luke's Art market
At St Luke's on Erleigh Road on Saturday 21 November 1130am - 4pm
Acorn Open Studios
I am part of the Acorn Open Studios this year, inviting you to visit my open studio in Lower Earley as part of Acorn Open Studios on 7-8 November from 1030am to 4pm
I will have even more of my art on show and all of my books, watercolours, tactile sculptural pieces and more, including cards, bookmarks and other items which could make perfect gifts for the “you know what” season.
For all the information you need please visit our website
What does LLM stand for in LLM Calling?
I was asked this question quite a few times over the Wokingham Arts Trail weekend, not having been asked it for many years; and it's a fair question, especially if you're a lawyer with an LLM qualification, as one visitor was.
LLM stands for Licensed Lay Minister which is the role I am licensed for at St Nicolas Church Earley, in the Church of England. You might know us as Readers which was the original name for our ministry of Preaching, Teaching and Pastoral Care. My ministry is more “on the edge” or “pioneering focussed” meeting people where they are outside a church building and sharing the love of God with them. My ministry is broadly divided into four parts, though they all overlap and interact:
Art and Poetry - for example my Following Jesus Exhibition and book “Stanzas of Grace and Light”.
YouBelong - the online Christian community for disabled and chronically ill people in the UK.
Lay Pioneer Ministry at St Nicolas Earley
Prayer - praying everyday and as a trustee of PrayGo (developing an app to enable people to post and respond to prayer requests using Augmented Reality)
I started blogging in 2008 when I was first being told by people that I was being called into ministry. The website I chose was LLM Calling. I continued to blog about my selection, training, ministry, licensing and more until about 10 years ago when I moved a lot of that “chat” onto Facebook. When I formed my current website I could have chosen a new name, perhaps my own name, but LLM Calling is like a child and I wasn't ready to let it fly the nest. Now my website is a place for my art and poetry, exhibitions and publications, and it even has a little shop. So as all as LLM being my calling, it also refers to “Living life with a messy calling” - a nod to the chaos of the life of a creative.
And finally ….
If you got this far then thanks for reading. I hope that you've found this interesting.
I told you it would be chatty!
I would love to provide more of what you'd like to hear from me; so feel free to email any questions you might have about art, poetry, creativity, disability, mental health, faith, or life in general.
Emma
Emma Major
Artist and Poet
@emmuk74
at LLMCallimg.com
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